What do you do once you land? for transportation?

Bobanna said:
......... Courtesy cars also abound; know where to look for hidden keys if no one is there .....
Click to expand...
Look on top of the drivers side visor, or maybe under the floor mat. Might even be hanging on a hook behind the front bumper. I know of at least one place where it's in a little lock box in the pilot shack and you call the Sheriff's office dispatcher for the combination to the lock box.
 
....and for crying out loud...put gas in the dern things...
 
Kelvin said:
....and for crying out loud...put gas in the dern things...
Click to expand...
Please!

I am very pleased to say that we have not had to add gas to our hotel's courtesy cars in many years.

On the flip side, I am appalled at the number of courtesy cars we use that are hovering on "E" when we get them. We always gas them up -- even the municipally owned ones, and even when the line kid tells us that it's "not necessary".

Anything we can do to encourage airports to continue offering the time-honored tradition of a courtesy car in today's litigious world is, IMHO, a good thing.
 
Places I've actually gone it's been walking, having a friend or relative meet us, hire a taxi, or a shuttler service going to a nearby casino. Courtesy cars exist... but they never seem to exist where I need them. I always spot them when I'm at an airport where I don't need transport of course. Rental cars are available at lot of places... the deal I usually see is about $70/day unlimited milage.

Bottom line here is you have to plan/call ahead and figure it out for each place you go.
 
Bobanna said:
At most airports in the Midwest (NE, IA, SD, KS) you just start walking; don't think I've ever had more than 3 (local) cars go by without someone stopping and asking if I want a ride. Courtesy cars also abound; know where to look for hidden keys if no one is there (or call in advance). They are usually miserable beaters, but it's a ride. Always be sure to bring it back with (a lot) more gas than you left with -- it is a courtesy car, and it works both ways. The "pilot" sign is a cool idea -- I'm sure it is irresistible to many. Blessings
Click to expand...

Jeanene became an expert at finding the hidden courtesy car keys in places where we landed after the FBO was unattended. The most unusual place was in the funnel spray of the fire extinguisher. At another place we called the next morning to say we had the courtesy car (the key had been under the phone book), and they had not even missed it.

And we knew it was the courtesy car -- as described above "a miserable beater" and run out city police car.
 
I took a plane to Lunken Field in Cincinnati to have an engine replaced. I asked the manager if there was a crew car we could use to get a quick lunch. He said the crew car is gone but we could use his truck. Its the red Ford parked right out the front door, keys are in it.

We went out front and saw a very nice classic 1964 red Ford pickup with the keys in it. We took it, had lunch, stopped and put a few gallons of fuel in it, then went back to the airport.

As we pulled into the parking lot, there was a police car. The police were talking to a couple red neck looking fellows that suddenly started jumping, yelling and pointing at us. We wondered what their problem was as we parked........ right next to a new red Ford pickup, with the keys in it.....

We had a little explaining to do, but everyone had a good laugh once everyone figured out what happened.

Ever since that experience I ask for a license plate number before I take a car, even if it does have a fob that makes the lights flash.
 
Last edited:
TEFLONSEAN said:
Sold my car so I can fly......I walk home now...or ride my bicycle if the tire isnt flat...if I pick up a thorn on the way to the airport my cost per hour skyrockets!!!:fcross:
Click to expand...

Buy a co2 inflator, an couple extra co2 cartridges, a tube and a patch kit in case you really have some bad luck. Learn how to change your tire and you will never get stuck.....
 
I wonder if small local airports would be a good place for an outfit like ZIPCar


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
jordane93 said:
You clearly haven't been to Million Air at ALB:D. They give you a Mecedes E class crew car (I hear now it's a BMW) and their facility is amazing.
Click to expand...
:yes::yes::yes:

I want to get back up there soon to see that BMW...
 
RalphInCA said:
I wonder if small local airports would be a good place for an outfit like ZIPCar


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

They would probably be underutilized for the investment on the whole, but I'm sure some locations it would work out.
 
This is what we drove after landing in Sevierville, TN a few weeks ago !
 

Attachments

  • 20141025_124612.jpg
    20141025_124612.jpg
    3.2 MB · Views: 56
  • 20141025_124906.jpg
    20141025_124906.jpg
    3 MB · Views: 44
Depends where I am and what is available. Usually walk, bike, taxi, rental car or bum ride from friends in the area. Some places I've flown into are isolated like Shelter Cove and have motel and campgrounds at the airport making it super convenient for a weekend fly in.
 
Jay Honeck said:
I am very pleased to say that we have not had to add gas to our hotel's courtesy cars in many years.

On the flip side, I am appalled at the number of courtesy cars we use that are hovering on "E" when we get them. We always gas them up -- even the municipally owned ones, and even when the line kid tells us that it's "not necessary".

Anything we can do to encourage airports to continue offering the time-honored tradition of a courtesy car in today's litigious world is, IMHO, a good thing.
Click to expand...
GMascelli said:
+1 And always put gas in the crew car.
Click to expand...
I've filled up or at least put some gas in many courtesy cars but I always wonder, who doesn't?

I've concluded that most pleasure pilots gas them up out of thankfulness for their presence and that many pros don't because it's just part of the work and comes with the occasional $$$ fueling.

Pros, do you usually put gas in 'crew cars'?

Recreational travelers, do you?
 
Bill Watson said:
Pros, do you usually put gas in 'crew cars'?
Click to expand...

If they don't charge a ramp fee. Keep in mind that our ramp fees are rarely less than $100 and sometimes more than $500. I also feel differently about mom and pops vs big chains.
 
I parked a crew car once under a tree that dumped pollen all over it over night. That one I not only filled up with gas but ran through the car wash before returning it.
 
Bill Watson said:
I've filled up or at least put some gas in many courtesy cars but I always wonder, who doesn't?

I've concluded that most pleasure pilots gas them up out of thankfulness for their presence and that many pros don't because it's just part of the work and comes with the occasional $$$ fueling.
Click to expand...

That is 100% accurate.

Down here on the island we don't get a lot of professional pilots, thankfully, but in Iowa we got enough of them to where we actively discouraged them from staying with us.

Why? Because too many of them would take the courtesy van all day (leaving our other fly-in guests in the lurch), routinely left the van on empty, and felt absolutely no regret for cancelling a "guaranteed" reservation at the last moment.

Oh, and did they cry like little girls when they were charged for no-showing! It was pathetic.

After about five years of that nonsense we realized that life was too short to put up with abusive guests, and started sending them to the McMotels.
 
Crew car, family member picking me up, offer to buy the line guy lunch in exchange for a ride, call vehicle operations and tell them to have a van waiting for me.
 
wildb said:
Hi, I dont have a ppl yet, but I was wondering what you guys do for transportation once you land?

Thanks

B
Click to expand...

Depending on purpose of flight, over the years I've used:

Loaner car
Rental car
Taxi
Friends
Relatives
Fellow employees
Walking
Police car
Company car kept at airport
Mechanic
Horse drawn taxi
 
geneseib said:
Depending on purpose of flight, over the years I've used:

Loaner car
Rental car
Taxi
Friends
Relatives
Fellow employees
Walking
Police car
Company car kept at airport
Mechanic
Horse drawn taxi
Click to expand...


:needpics:
 
If I need to go someplace, I normally call Enterprise ahead and they are pretty good about dropping off a car for you. Land, pick up the keys from the desk, do your meeting or whatever, drop the keys off at the desk, fly home.
 
N801BH said:
:needpics:
Click to expand...

This is the one we used on Mackinac Island. It comes right to the airport.

taxi.jpg
 
Sac Arrow said:
If I need to go someplace, I normally call Enterprise ahead and they are pretty good about dropping off a car for you.
Click to expand...


Yes, that works. The last time I arrived in the small airport of Watertown, WI, the FBO receptionist told me that my Enterprise rental car was waiting just outside, at the curb. She added that it was a Roj-oo-ee (phonetic) which she had never heard of. So I went outside and took a look at the Roj-oo-ee. It turned out it was a Nissan Rogue. Perfectly good transportation, good FBO, and convenient arrangement, but funny pronunciation. That helped make the trip a little more fun.
 
Sac Arrow said:
If I need to go someplace, I normally call Enterprise ahead and they are pretty good about dropping off a car for you. Land, pick up the keys from the desk, do your meeting or whatever, drop the keys off at the desk, fly home.
Click to expand...
I've found that Enterprise works well on weekdays but can be problematic on weekend trips. Half days on Saturdays, closed on Sundays, etc. Sometimes making arrangements early on Friday can overcome that.

Bill "new Roj-oo-ee owner and I love it" Watson
 
We(with wife and two kids) flew to Ocracoke to camp the Sat night before last. Arrived 15 min before sunset. Tied down, covered the plane, walked 3 miles North carrying all camping gear including...charcoal, brat burgers, smore supplies, breakfast, drinks. Not one car stopped, same way back to the airport Sun. After packing the plane Sun, walked another mile to town for fresh seafood. Walked 1 mile back to the beach for swimming then flew home before dark. Wanna bet the kids will remember that trip.

We flew to Maine this summer and walked or rode a bus.

We went to Cedar Key and walked in 2012.

We plan vacations to do as much walking as possible. I can enjoy more delicious foods this way.
 
We rented a golf cart once on Put in Bay.

I forgot about the horse drawn taxi on Mackinac.

We rode in the bed of an old pick up truck to town at Friday Harbor. Although I think we walked back.

Trudged through deep snow across the field at Oshkosh to get to a restaurant that was closed for a private event.

Kind of fun to think back at all of the different airports and the various methods of getting around.
 
I can fit a full size mountain bike in the Comanche. So sometimes I will use that. But usually I'm going somewhere to meet someone, and they are my transportation, or I'm going somewhere to stay for a while and have a rental car.
 
I post on POA i'm flying to somewhere and ask for volunteers to pick me up and give me a ride. Then I don't tip or call them back :rofl:

Seriously tho.. someone mentioned Uber. I just started using uber last month, it's great. I fly to John C. Tune in nashville and also Asheville, NC a lot and will definitely be using the service instead of renting a car. Never had an unfriendly driver or nasty old taxi car... mostly late model SUV's and about 40% cheaper than cabs

If anyone signs up for uber PM me for a promotion code that gets us both a $20 credit :D
 
Ed, you're being a an annoying dick head, remember what your mother told you about that.
 
Picked up my airplane from Anderson airport indiana (KAID) and was flying back to 58M via KMPG (marshall county airport WV).

KMPG was an interesting place. A little run down airport on the top of the mountain. I had done my map and internet recon so I was about as familiar as I could be.

The lady in charge of it keeps a hand held at home and when she hears you call 10 miles and 5 miles out, she starts heading toward the airport.

By the time I parked three locals had come up the road to greet us. One said that it was typically a hard airport to land on and I did a good job with that. They asked if I wanted to borrow one of their cars to go grab a quick bite and I politely declined. Filled up the tanks and hit the skies.

Odd place but I think I'll go back sometime and check out the local area.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top